Jaune Arc: Escort and Duelist
by KingOfShadowedOnes
Summary: Re-working of Of Escorts and Duelists. An Heir who wants to prove he is worth his name, an Heiress trying to survive the dance of high society. A thief who wants to steal himself out of Hell, A Terrorist who wants to bring the world to its knees. All of these players are ready for one night. Can Jaune Arc become who he was meant to be, An Escort and Duelist, AU 2nd year on,NOBreach
1. Chapter 1

**I've actually been meaning to do this for a while now, this is a rewrite and re-edit of one of the best mistakes I've ever written, Of Escorts and Duelists, if you enjoy Jaune and Weiss stories, epic comebacks, and fluffy fluffs give it a read it's a Fifteen thousand word chunk of words that I've slowly been working my way through editing and rehashing. Also good for those who are a fan of Black Sun (more cannon then Bumblebee, get over it), Seadragons(Neptune/Yang), of course Renora(which by Oum IS cannon) and my personal favorite pairing of the Fandom second to White Knight, Razzle Dazzle, also known as Roman and Neo. SO feel free if you have some spare time to give the original a read either before or after you're reading this, see how it compares, let me know what changes you liked, what changes you didn't.**

 **T** **his will be in much more manigable chunks ranging from around 2 to as high as 5 k on the word count. I'll also try to post a reviewed chunck every few days to a week, hopefully not much past that... we can hope. Anyways, here is the now entierly AU Jaune Arc: Escort and Duelist**

 **ALso of course none of the character's are mine, wish they were though. All of the goodies are borrowed from Rooster Teeth and the Imagination of the late, great Oum. Keep moving Forward.**

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Escort

Chapter I

The Request

The blond boy looked at white haired girl in a mix of fear and apprehension… this was way too good a dream to be real, no way that Snow Angel would be asking this of him. He eyed the young woman in front of him carefully as if anything he said could make her explode, which in fact there was a good chance might. She was about chest high on him when he was standing his own lanky six one frame was currently seated at a back table of the mostly silent Beacon Library. Her snow white hair hung in its usual side pony tail, her petite frame ridged her arms crossed and her icy blue eye looking away from him. He spoke softly bringing his only thought to life, his tenor as quiet as he could make it in the domain of the Liberian.

"You want me… to what, Weiss?"

"Jaune, I _need_ you to be my escort…" Weiss repeated her request again. Slowly, as if speaking to an idiot… well like she was speaking to Jaune. She arched a brow when she saw Jaune recline in his chair a rather stupid smirk cover his face. She knew what was coming and decided to head it off. "If the next words to come out of your mouth are stupid, well then I guess I'll have to suffer a fate worse than death."

"Do Wha?" Jaune instantly sat up again his eyes switching to concern. "Is everything ok? I mean I know you don't like me… much… at all really… but I'd still like to think we're friends. I stopped with the constant asking you out after you talked to me about it, I promised I wouldn't do it anymore. I already apologized is there anything else I can do to make it up to you?"

This is why the boy infuriated her. For all of the stupidity, for all of the bad flirting and desperate attempts at getting a date out of her, which admittedly he did actually stop once she sat him down and talked to him about how she was NOT interested in him in that way. That if he seriously wanted to spend time with her that maybe he could try being her friend. The one thing that irritated her was that the dunderhead actually meant well… and that was more than most of the men in her life. She wished that it could be anyone else, but sadly he was the only one that fulfilled the requirements of what she needed in an escort. She did some digging and found out a bit more out about Jaune's family. About who they actually were, and she had to admit she almost slapped herself in the forehead for not figuring it out sooner.

"We are friends Jaune," Weiss's voice was quick, almost too quick for Jaune to catch. She looked around sighing, the library wasn't a good place to have this conversation her eyes lingered on a nearby table that the two teams used for game nights, it still shocked her that whenever they played Conquest of Remnent the boy's alliance always won… but then again she had always had such a critical eye on him that she never actually noticed what he was doing more than at the current time in a fight. Maybe Ren and Pyrrha weren't pulling the Heiress's leg when they said it was only by Jaune's plan that the Death stalked they faced at the initiation… That Jaune was the one who pointed out weaknesses in his teammates and tried to find ways to help them. But Jaune a strategic genius, really? She did find that a bit hard to believe. The Heiress made a decision and acted on it.

Weiss grabbed the boy's arm pulled him along back to the dorms his squawk of confusion drawing the attention that the heiress didn't want. The icy beauty shut the bumbling blond dunderhead up with an icy glare as they left the library. Weiss approached the door to her shared room and threw the door open the stunned faces of Neptune, Sun, Blake and Yang greeted her. Blue boy and Yang on the brawler's bed cuddled together watching a movie on Neptune's scroll while Blake was reading a book in her bed with Sun playing a videogame at her feet all four crooked an eyebrow at Jaune's body falling through the door. The second brow soon joined the other in being raised as Weiss walked in and snapped a finger towards the open door.

"Scram." Weiss growled out at the duo of partners, Sun got up quickly noticing the death glare in the Heiress' eyes. Blake shook her head standing after her boyfriend.

"Well Snow Angel," The beowolf pillow that smacked into Yang's head made an adorable growling sound as it landed on the bluenett wrapped around her. "You should have just let us known if you wanted some time with tall, blond and scraggly you should have just let us know, we do have a protocol set up for this don't forget the sock covers over the door knob any bed but Ruby's and the condoms are…"

Yang was silenced by her sighing boyfriend's hand.

"Sweetie, that's enough."

That was an interesting relationship story, after the dance where Neptune wouldn't stop looking at other girls Weiss left in a huff. A confused Neptune chased after her only to be tripped by someone, he never was able to find out who did it and lost track of the heiress. The next day he went to apologize only for Weiss to tell the boy that she wasn't interested. Somehow he wound up at that bar that Yang showed him, he remembered ordering some alcohol and the next thing he remembered was waking up with the arms of the blonde bombshell wrapped around his waist spooning him from behind. They went out for breakfast and Neptune got the short story, he got drunk… really drunk… and then apparently one of the sister's that guarded the club tried to hit on him only to get pissed off when he turned her down. Apparently one unarmed combat round later the owner, Junior, called Yang remembering the two of them together. Yang was kind enough to pick him up and take him to another bar where apparently she over indulged enough that they couldn't make it back to Beacon but there was a hotel nearby, unfortunately the only open room had only one bed… apparently in his drunken state he laughed at a pun, called her witty as well as beautiful and then the rest was history.

The next thing the Puny-fighter knew she was on her boyfriend's shoulder like a sack of potatoes being carried out of the room a head shaking Blake and perpetually joy-filled Monkey boy was following behind the group closing the door behind him shooting a wink at the young knight.

"Ok Jaune," Jaune looked over to see Weiss leaning against her desk arms crossed as she looked him up and down. "A week ago I received a message from father explaining that I was expected to attend a ball in a month…"

"The Governor's Ball," Weiss was surprised at Jaune's correct interruption… how did he know that? She watched the boy get up and dust himself off. He stood a little straighter then she remembered; his shoulders were slightly back, were they always that broad; his eyes focused on hers forcing her to maintain eye contact, were they always that rich of a blue... she almost wanted to look away but a Schnee always looked a business partner in the eye. "Remember all second years are supposed to attend? Ruby should have told you guys, we were told at the monthly Leader's meeting last week…"

"… She neglected to mention it… anyways normally attending a ball wouldn't be an issue for me, but this will be my first time at a formal ball since my Majority… and I need an escort. Namely, you…" Her voice was soft, contained. She didn't need this getting around to anyone, much less gossiping boxers who had super hearing partners thanks to her fuzzy bits.

"Why me?" Jaune leaned against the desk across from her his arms crossing his chest his confusion up slightly… how much did Weiss know about his family. He had done so well in keeping that part of his life out of Beacon, For two years he did everything he could to make sure that people didn't connect Jaune Arc lovable doofus leader of the second best team of their year to _the_ Arc Family. One of the most venerated and decorated families in the remnants of humanity, the Heroes of the First, Second, and Third Grimm wars, the family whose founder revolutionized the protection of the still standing Kingdoms by turning a group of foresters and hunters into the wardens of the boundary between humanity and Grimm. The family he could never live up to.

"Because I can trust you…" The words were small, almost too small for Jaune to hear. She trusted him? When did that happen? _HOW_ did this happen?"I can trust you to not ruin this, I can trust you to not try and use this for your own needs… I can trust you because you are a friend… and you're family is of a high enough stature that my father would see no fault in it." She was looking away so she didn't see him freeze at the mention of his family.

"Of course I'll help Snow Angel," Weiss sighed at the nickname… he still wouldn't let it go… but then again she wouldn't tell anyone but it had stopped being irritating to her after the food war in the beginning of second semester last year. "I'd be happy to help."

"Alright then… We have three weeks to turn you into a gentleman." Then something happened that surprised Weiss, Jaune Arc, resident klutz and dunderhead of the highest order, the lady killer wannabe, walked forward and bowed perfectly to the Heiress taking the outstretched hand to shake and kissing the back of her knuckles. A soft blush colored the Heiress's face for a single moment before she was able to compose herself. Jaune rose and smiled at his friend the smirk on his face held a confident edge that had rarely been there before.

"It will be an honor My lady." Weiss's eyes narrowed slightly at his wordage causing him to stand up straight and wave his arms in front of him. "Bad word choice, I'm sorry…."

"Dunce…" The growled word of the heiress made Jaune flinch realizing the gravity of his slip.

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 **Read. Review. Eat Pancakes.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to my three Anon's who reviewed. All of you for different reasons:**

 **ThatOneGuy, thank you for the flame it's what made me get this out today, I don't mind flames they're an opinion, one that everyone is entitled to, and thank you for Flaming responsibly. If anyone doesn't like it please do more then tell me that you don't like it, I can't make it better if no one tells me what's wrong.**

 **Enpassant, Thank you for balancing out the flame. Positive Reviews make writers happy, happy writers work harder to make better stories, they are an important part of our diets you know.**

 **Ilovemetoo, Thank you for pointing out the use of the Review button properly, I appreciate it.**

 **That being said here is the next chapter, this is where the deviations from the original really start taking hold, I hope they help balance out and flush out the story more.**

 **Still don't own anything but the story and my laptop.**

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The Escort

Chapter 2

Self-Improvement

Three days, Jaune pushed the bar up from the rack as he focused on the cross beam of the weight rack he was using. It had been three days since he agreed to help Weiss and though he didn't regret the decision he did wish he had more information before he agreed.

Down. Up

"One." He had to admit that while he had at one point been properly trained in high etiquette once his father decided that he wasn't worth it as the next head of the family he stopped attending functions. The skills got rusty.

Down. Up.

"Two." He had been in closer contact with Weiss then ever before, which he enjoyed, immensely… more then he should really, but he was the perfect gentleman. Well, maybe not when it came to the mannerisms but he was perfectly honorable. He tried and Weiss at least thanked him for that.

Down. Up.

"Three." Really she was a bit short with the praise in all honesty, not that Jaune was surprised. She was a perfectionist after all. Raised that way by Eiskalt Schnee, the White Tyrant as Jaune's father often called him. He had met the man actually.

Down. Up.

"Four." Jaune remembered the frigid air the man had around him. The man's very look demanded perfection… much like Jaune's own father, Jaune's mind wandered slightly. Would his father the Lord Arc be proud? Would Jaune find himself the prodigal son if he were to return home a Beacon Graduate?

Down...

Would he be allowed to reclaim the right that was his from his eldest sister Vermeil? If he was able to could he fight his own sister to reclaim it? Did he even want that recognition? Jaune's arms wavered as he was lost in his thoughts, the scenarios running around in his head, the look of his father, sneering at him, his mother's and sister's faces as they looked away sadly.

Jaune pushed up only for the bar to falter as his arms matched his mind, shaking, confused...

"Don't let it fall Arc, you're almost there." Cardin's voice caused Jaune to push the little extra to finish the last rep strong. The faces left and the thoughts left his head as Jaune again saw the world as it was. He was here now, in Beacon. He was more than he was the year before. The Bar made its way up and back down in a smooth even controlled motion.

Up.

"5…" Jaune breathed out as he racked the weights, he'd come a long way since last year. He smiled as he sat up the meaty thunk of Cardin clapping his shoulder both a sign of praise and a message to move his ass out of the way. He could proudly say today that he broke the 160 Kilo mark for benching without Aura assisting him.

The two weren't friends, probably they never would be. They were however both motivated to improve upon their past selves. For that they needed each other. Jaune needed to improve his physicality, aura was an amplifier after all, the better the base the farther one could go, Yang of course being a perfect example, as was Pyrrha, Nora… Ren… Blake… everyone. Jaune's smile faltered slightly, he'd seen Nora bench the entire rack. Not the weights, the rack, with all of the weights on it. Easily.

"Arc, good job breaking 160, we'll have you up where I am at no time." Cardin's voice prompted Jaune back to reality and out of his quickly downward traveling spiral of thought.

"Thanks Cardin, You've been a huge help." Cardin grunted as he pushed the now loaded bar off of the Rack jaune taking the spotters position watching the bar move smoothly.

"You've gotten me passing the last tactics test Arc," Cardin spoke smoothly as if the 360 kg of steel in his arms weren't anything but a light warm up. That was true though, two days from now the two would meet again, this time in the scenario room, Jaune would set up different scenarios and have Cardin walk it through only using the training drones. It was like chess with more unique pieces and more freedom. Cardin found that Jaune while not as tough could definitely out strategy any other leader of their year. Cardin actually was fifth instead of the usual eighth place of the eight teams of Beacons 2nd year class.

They weren't friends, they probably never would be but they did respect each other.

-{[+]}-

It had been three days… three of the most trying days of Weiss' life. She had to spend an overwhelming amount of time with the Dunderhead to try and make him presentable to the public. He was a klutz, a klutz of the highest order. He knew what he was supposed to do and he even did it right half the time. The other half was what made her oh so tempted to take Yang up on her offer to go get plastered at some place called Junior's. Today for example they were going over basic etiquette, and he had all of the basics down: he knew how to bow, when to nod his head, how to introduce himself formally with the right inflection to his voice to state he was of the upper class. BUT the second he got distracted it all went to crumbs. The boy was so clumsy that if he wasn't paying attention when he bowed half the time he'd end up on the floor… she still didn't understand how that happened. She was sipping a coffee at her desk her history book opened to this week's assigned reading. She had already read it twice of course but she was digging through it for ideas on the writing, four pages on the Push.

The Push was the single most important moment in the history of humanity, near the middle of the first war of Grimm when a group of hunters banded together to become the first of the Huntress' and Hunters, the Boundary Wardens. It was led by Cyan of Arcana, who if her research was correct, which it undoubtedly was, was infact the forefather of the Arc line. This is what had her so irritated. Here she was trying to get her mind off of the blonde menace for a while only for him to be forced back into her mind by school work one of the things the aforementioned dunderhead himself was horrid at. She growled in frustration slamming her head against the table causing her books and items to hop in the air. Groaning she did it again.

"Stupid Jaune…" And again.

"What'd Jaune do now? Ask you out again?" Weiss would forever disavow that her response to the hyperactive team leader's seemingly sudden appearance was to let out a most unlady like sound of surprise, the blush even ten years later at the events retelling would be all the proof needed to confirm otherwise.

"Ru— Wha—… No, in fact really this one isn't even his fault if I'm honest with myself." Weiss sipped her coffee for a moment figuring out how to explain to her friend.. closest friend without letting the younger girl know that Jaune was escorting her to the ball in nearly 6 weeks time.

"Does this have anything to do with you asking him to be your date to the ball?" Ruby's hands flew over her mouth as she spoke Weiss's head shooting up and her pale icy eyes locked onto the little reaper's hood.

"What was that?" the edge to the girl's voice was razor sharp and sent a shiver down Ruby's spine. Ruby's silver eyes shifted around the room looking for a quick exit only to yelp like a puppy when a hand grabbed her chin and forced the younger girl to look into Weiss's eyes. A Frozen hell where souls are lost to all eternity was the only thought that slipped into the normally energetic girl's mind.

"Who?" Ruby didn't need to ask to clarify the question. In fear she spoke rapidly.

"YANG, IT-WAS-YANG-SHE-HAD-BLAKE-LISTEN-IN-ON-YOU-AND-JAUNE." The reaper scrunched her eyes and tried to force her head away whimpering like a puppy.

"Jaune didn't say anything to you?" Ruby tried to shake her head in response Weiss' grip on her prevented the action.

"NO!He-didn't-say-anything-Pyrrha-asked-if-he-wanted-help-finding-a-date-for-it-and-he-said-that-he-already-had-it-covered-that-a-friend-needed-a-little-help-so-he-was-going-with-them." Ruby sighed in relief as Weiss released her head. Ruby opened her eyes once she heard the door slam shut. "Sheesh, what's gotten her all riled…" Ruby looked at the desk and the history homework, a name was underlined. "Cyan of Arcana? Why is he circled, I more had her pegged for a Jasper Glyphsmith fangirl…"

Weiss stomped across the hall laughter coming from the room across from hers, one of those laughs was Yang's. The door flew open and five heads spun towards the sound. Weiss stood their rigid and glared at all of them until she found Blake and Yang. Not saying a word she started walking towards her 'darling' teammates. Her eyes promised death. Not the quick kind either.

"Uh… Weiss, I think you need to 'chill' down for a second… what's wrong…" Yang seemed to be backing up Blake was simply frozen in her spot.

"Oh nothing my _favorite_ teammate, I think that you and I need to have a little talk about what you and Blake might have overheard a few days ago…" Yang blanched and Blake flinched.

"OH you mean about Jaune-Jaune taking you to the Ball, it's so romantic isn't it Renny?" Nora yelped in response to Weiss's glare and hid behind Ren who simply sat there trying to not cause any attention to be cast on him. Weiss always thought that the quiet boy was smart.

"Actually yes, that… where is the blond menace anyways…" The three last letters of JNPR all shook their heads in fear. Pyrrha's eyes shifted to the door and grew huge. Blake and Yang both looked at the door and seemed to mouth something. Weiss spun on a heel and saw a shirtless Jaune standing there with a towel around his shoulders and a workout bag that held his blade in it slung over a shoulder…

"… I should run now?" Jaune dropped his bag and shot out of the room after getting a quick nod from Ren. This is just what he needed, after a two hour workout session with Cardin that ended in a forty minute spar he had to outrun a woman who was out for his blood. He turned and screamed as he ran. "I'm SORRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY..."

"ARC GET BACK HERE BEFORE YOU ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE." Weiss's raised voice caused him to slide to a stop. Jaune weighed his odds as he looked at the open door to the outside, then back to the death that awaited him in his room. He steeled himself and started to trudge back to his room.

In the center of the room Yang and Blake knelt in seiza position, Weiss stood behind them a sheathed Myrtenaster in her hands, the standing woman pointed to a spot on the floor and Jaune fell to his knees in acceptance of his fate. Ren and Nora sat on one bed while Pyrrha was frozen in a block of ice unable to move. Weiss walked around and looked at the three kneeling people before her.

"Now then… I will ask the three of you this one time, who told everyone about Jaune being my escort." Weiss looked at the three of them, no one responded. "If no one speaks up I will just have to go after the most likely to talk, and the only one I know for sure know about it."

Jaune cursed and sighed internally, he had been doing so well too… oh well nineteen wasn't to bad of an age to die at was it?

"It was me." Yang spoke up at last much to Jaune's relief. "I had Blake listen through the door. I thought that I was just going to be told you two were doing something naughty but instead I got that prime gossip material… I haven't told anyone besides NPR and Ruby… I think Ruby might have told Penny though. Jaune hadn't said anything, actually a couple people asked about his plans and he kept saying that he was helping a friend out with a difficult situation."

"I heard the same thing." Blake spoke up and Jaune sighed relaxing slightly. Weiss spun on a heel and walked away thawing Pyrrha out as she passed the frozen girl. She paused at the door only to look back.

"Thank you Juane, I hope I can trust in your discretion in the future as well?"

"My what now?" Even with everything else the dunderhead was the dunderhead. The Ice Princess paused at that thought as a follow up snuck in silently after, was that really a bad thing? Taking a breath the woman looked at Jaune and tried again.

"I can trust you not to tell anyone?" Jaune nodded his head and Weiss smiled nodding her head slightly in thanks. Jaune felt his heart stop for a moment, it was an actual smile, a small one but an actual smile from the Snow Angel. He didn't even notice when Nora poked him in the head a few times.

"What's wrong with him?"

-{[+]}-

The warehouse was a cacophony of noise. The sound to much for anyone to sleep through, the apartment above it offered little protection against the noise but there leaning back in a chair with his signature bowler covering his eyes and resting was the best thief in all of Vale, likely all of Remnant. How far he'd come too he thought spitefully to himself as he heard the heavy thunks of the dust crates move around via mooks and underlings in the floor below. He had been a phantom not so long ago, truly the best. No one even knew who he was save for a small group of police and hunters that were always at his coat tails. He had wealth stockpiled away, the Rainy Day fund that anyone in his industry had if they had two bits of common sense. He just didn't have anyway to escape the bitch who had him trapped where he was. He heard the mirror shattering sound of his partner's appearance. What's worse is that the bitch didn't just have him.

The master thief put an arm around the weight that just seemed to appear at his side pulling her close as she nuzzled into him.

The Bitch had Neo and Him holding the one hostage to the other.

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 **Read. Review. Eat Pancakes.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again Everyone, not much to say at the start of this one, mostly just enjoy it.**

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Cinder sat on a stack of crates like a queen on her throne looking down at the two red headed outlaws before her. If she wanted to use Ozpin's silly metaphors that would make Roman one of her knights and Adam a bishop piece. She had her other bishop Mercury leaning against the back wall an eye on the two men. Her loyal little rook Emerald sat at the feet of her mistress like the good little pet she was. Neo wasn't visibly there but that diminutive mute of a girl was never far from her most sporadic piece on the board.

"And how are we going with the dust collection Roman dear?" Cinder enjoyed watching the arrogant man bite his tongue. He looked as if he wanted absolutely nothing more in the world then to kill her. He couldn't though, if he were to try he knew that the first one to die would be his dearest little partner, it'd be a shame to lose both of her knights in one go.

"We have procured enough of the middle grade dust to equip the mangy pack of zealots." Adam snarled and stepped forward only to find the business end of the criminal's cane already under his chin.

"At least we believe in our cause, unlike you who simply want to make money." Adam saw a flash of rage in the thief's eyes and more worrying the man's trigger finger twitched.

"Enough." They both stepped back Roman turned to walk away having he felt give his report. He only made it two steps before Mercury stopped him.

"We aren't done yet old timer." the young man's cocky tone grated Roman, arrogant little pissants needed to know their place, but that being said Roman knew that he couldn't let loose, not here, not yet. Roman was patient, he could wait, he needed to wait.

"He's right dear Roman, we have something big to plan." Roman turned and nodded his head curtly as he took his place again.

"In less than 5 weeks the Governor's Ball is going to take place in the Jasper Estates. Everyone is going to be there from the Governor General Telven Jasper himself, to the Council of Vale, everyone down to the last layer of security covered by the second years of Beacon, including most importantly to you Adam, the Heiress of the Schnee Family." Adam went stock stiff for a moment as he processed the opportunity.

"And we can have her?" The terrorist's voice was low, dangerous. You didn't need to see the eyes behind the mask in order to know that the gleam in them was predatorial. Roman realised what was happening, Cinder wanted to move forward with the plan, killing or kidnapping the prominent people of the city would throw Vale into chaos. Mass panic and rioting would cause everything needed to summon grimm from everywhere within 100 miles. And with an entire year of Beacon, 64 hunters and huntresses in training gone… that would cut into the defenses of the city even with the few teams from Haven, Shade and Atlas working through the team exchange program. She was baiting the White Fang into doing what they did best only for everyone to be wiped out by the grimm.

-{[+]}-

Pyrrha was enjoying a rare moment of quiet in the room. Jaune was working with Weiss, Ren and Nora were out and all she had was a certain book in a particular series Blake was kind enough to lend her, 20 pounds of the finest Atlassian Artisan Chocolates. The spartan popped a chocolate into her mouth snuggled deeper into the pile of blankets and pillows she procured and flipped open the book. It was going to be a good day... then an N-bomb went off.

"He asked me, He asked me, HE ASKED ME!" Nora shot into the room a blush on her face and screamed happily jumping around. With each repetition of the phrase Nora spun and jumped more and more, the first thing to break was a chair, the poor hunk of wood stood to close to the danger zone. Then the first bolt of lightning slipped out catching the base of the light fixture making the lights inside glow brilliantly before exploding the glass flying everywhere. Nora not caring spun in a circle grabbing Pyrrha and began jumping even more. "HE ASKED ME TO THE BALL!"

"R-Ren did?" Pyrrha was able to get out as she felt herself get dizzier and dizzier.

-{[+]}-

SSSN walked casually down one of the hallways of Beacon, their home away from home… away from home, at this point. They volunteered to stay as part of the team exchange program allowing SHNK one of Beacon's eight now second year teams a chance to study at Haven. Team CPTN from Atlas and one of the teams that didn't compete from Shade finished off the transfers. Sun chuckled at the memory of Headmaster Heart seeming to cheer when they put their application to transfer in. The four young men turned a corner and stopped. Why would music be coming out of one of the auxiliary rooms at 4:30 in the afternoon on a Thursday?

"Wha-" Scarlet was cut off with a hand motion from Sage. Sun and Neptune both shook their heads. Sun held up a finger to keep quiet and motioned for them to check it out. The song lead them to the end of the next hall, the door was cracked open and a bit of light poured out a shadow flitting every so often. Sage stopped the group and shook his head motioning that they should just go. This was quickly vetoed. Sun peeked into the room and his jaw dropped, the others quickly joined him. They watched for a second as the song ended and a new one started.

Jaune was dancing… with Weiss. Jaune was dancing, really well with Weiss. Jaune was LEADING the dance with Weiss… Neptune's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed onto Sage at the sight of Jaune leading Weiss into a final dip. As the song ended Weiss was held firmly to the boy that had surprised her to no end. Who would have known that their resident dunderhead had impeccable manners and etiquette buried under his false macho bravado. He seemed confident, not cocky when dancing, something that shocked Weiss was the ease in which she let him lead, part of it came from that confidence that he put out, most of it from the fact that she was taught that the male was the lead in a formal dance. Both of their heads snapped to the door when they heard clapping, Sun was standing there with the rest of his team, after a moment the other three joined in.

"Umm… hey guys?" The two dancers slid apart from each other Jaune instantly wishing she was back close again as he continued talking. "So how long have you…"

"About half way through the song before this one, you're both quite good by the way." Everyone nodded at Scarlet's response.

"Dude, I didn't know you had moves like that where did that come from, I mean you were both amazing but we kinda…" Neptune made a motion with his hands.

"Expected it from Weiss?" THe group nodded, Jaune decided that a half truth was enough of one for the answer. "My mother did ballet, and so I started to learn to dance to keep her happy, only ballet was never my thing, so I started doing ballroom. Kept mom happy, and really that's all that mattered."

Jaune saw head nods of understanding from the Mistralin team. A scroll timer went off signaling that it was five o'clock, Weiss excused herself and went back to her room to get ready for dinner. Jaune laughed slightly as the four guys crowded him a mischievous glint in their eyes.

…

Even with the upcoming ball class still carried on as they had before. Jaune found himself trying harder than usual in his studies, in fact all of his instructors had approached him during the past month saying that they were proud of him for his better habits and higher grades. Oobleck in particular had asked Jaune to stay behind one day last week and went into detail about his report on the Boundary Wardens and how in depth the details and information were.

" _It's astounding, really, you were able to capture so much in so little, I'm happy to say Mister Arc that you have Top Marks on this assignment in class, I hope that this is the first of many that I am able to congratulate you on."_

It stunned Jaune he never had much in the way of positive reinforcement from his old instructors much less at 'home.' Even last year he was the bottom of all of the class work barely managing to scrape by at the end of the year. It would be a shock to most people but Jaune Arc liked doing well, it was something that he would be the first to admit he wasn't very skilled at doing but he still liked the feeling of someone telling him that it was a good job, of knowing that he did something right. Might have come from being one of the youngest of eight and the only boy Jaune got little positive reinforcement from his father, his sisters had all been better, at scholastics, athletics, combat, strategy, you name it one of the Spectacular Seven always was better than he was. Even if Vermeil was a girl she was still almost six years older than he was… and he was supposed to be better than her… ha.

Port, Ozpin, Peach and most amazingly Goodwitch all had congratulated him and told him well done more than his own father had and it felt good, really good actually. Jaune wanted to hear it from them again so he threw himself into his studies.

His team took notice of this change, when their fearless leader wasn't working on combat skills with Pyrrha, unarmed combat with Ren, or prepping with Weiss for the ball he was in the library focusing on one assignment or another, working on some piece of extra credit work or researching more into lecture materials. It showed in lectures, he attempted to take actual notes and ask relevant questions that spurned forward more discussion much to the glee of the instructor. But the side effect was obvious, Jaune was tired, he was wearing himself out, the boy seemed to live solely off of yellow dust infused energy drinks. That was leading to him being… twitchy… they all tried talking to him only for him to smile and say he was fine. Nora and Pyrrha let it drop after he told them that it was something he needed to do, to prove to himself. Ren had another idea, he'd need some help for it though.

…

"What's the matter Jaune?" Weiss looked slightly concerned as Jaune had a misstep in the middle of their waltz, something he had nee done before now. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just a little off is all Snow Angle, I mean Angel…" Jaune shivered slightly, he hadn't slept in the past two days and it was starting to catch up with him… did they make a more potent energy blend? There had to be one out there… it would be worth looking into. Weiss observed the boy a little concern slipping through her usual mask. Not that the mask was a solid as it was a few week ago anyways much less her facade from a year ago. She had to admit he looked rough, his pupils were dilated and his eyes never seemed to focus on one place very long… he was always in motion but the bags under his eyes were so deep he almost looked like a raccoon faunus.

"Jaune when was the last time you took a break?" Weiss's voice was softer than usual if only by a touch, she was concerned about him, he had been working hard and he had earned a lot of remarks… she noticed how he smiled whenever one of the instructors told him he did a good job. She also knew that he was in the library long after everyone else, including Blake, which was actually pretty impressive… and unhealthy.

"I don't have time for one, between working on combat with Ren and Pyrrha, the class work and everything else I don't have time to slow down. Not with exams coming up. I need to be ready, I'm not going to let myself come in last rank again this year." There was a determination in his voice that Weiss found oddly attractive… NOPE, not going there especially not right now. Weiss shook her head slightly as she sighed.

"You'll do better overall if you let yourself unwind a little every once in awhile Jaune. Trust me on this, I'm the most structured one out of all of us, I mean have you met my teammates? One of us has to be focused on making sure we're all where we're supposed to be when we're supposed to be there but even I have scheduled in breaks… and sleep… Jaune?" She noticed Jaune start to shift back and forth slightly on his feet as if constantly over correcting on his balance. Concern broke through for real when he fell forward slightly. Stumbling Jaune's eyes focused back in on the now his foot catching properly and he stood straight shaking his head slightly for a minute.

"Alright Angel, ready to try again?"

"No." Weiss crossed her arms as she glared at the boy across from her, he had passed out standing up and wanted to keep going? Not on her watch, she needed him healthy in two weeks' time. "You're getting some sleep, actual sleep… now."

Jaune moved to argue only to have the Heiress dart forward and chop him on the neck causing him to pass out into her arms. Catching the oaf with an oomph she slung him over her shoulder and started carrying him back to his room. When did the Dunderhead gain muscles.

…

Ren hung up his scroll smiling to himself the other two were in. Turning to walk out the door the normally quiet boy paused when he heard a high pitched grunt and their door swing open revealing a flushed Weiss with a passed out Captain Overload on her back. He rushed forward to help. Weiss was thankful that she was already flushed otherwise she would be blushing from embarrassment.

"What happened?" the stoic boy's voice betrayed none of the concern obvious on his face.

"The dunderhead overworked himself, passed out on me in the middle of a waltz… he needs to lighten up." Ren raised a brow at the Heiress's softened tone and concerned look… the two of them had gotten closer. Ren knew of Jaune's feelings for the heiress… even if he had stopped asking her out he still admired and crushed heavily on her. Was it perhaps possible that this new Jaune had caught the ice queen's heart?

"I'll make sure he gets some rest." Ren saw her nod in worry as she brushed some hair out of Jaune's face absently Jaune's een breathing slowing down at her touch as a small smile broke on his face, Ren wouldn't say anything but a small smirk of his own broke out at the soft smile and look that the princess gave the night. She'd done that more and more often recently. The small smiles at him. "Also I have an idea to keep him from getting overworked."

"Oh?" Weiss turned towards the stoic boy snapping her hand away from Jaune and throwing her mask back up.

"I enlisted some help from an outside source, it should work out nicely." Weiss nodded her head and turned leaving the room without stopping the blush on her face growing redder and redder as she realized not only what she had done but that someone else had seen her do it. Ren smirked again at the closed door. Reaching into his pocket the boy drew his scroll back out again. Hitting a redial button he waited for a moment shooting a look at his leader and shook his head at the idiot.

"Hey, Sun? It's Ren, tell Neptune we're on… guys night, tomorrow… no I know the place… don't worry I'll bring him just have everything set up and ready… yeah that sounds good… I don't care so long as it's not banana, and I don't care if you think banana pizza is great if you have to get one for yourself fine I don't care but at least get another one that's for everyone else… for some reason no, I don't think that Neptune does enjoy banana pizza."

…

Jaune slept for almost 16 hours straight. He awoke the next day and looked out only to see Ren in their room.

"How long?" Ren looked up from his book and closed it setting it down beside him as he stood.

"It's after classes on Friday. Now come on, you have note to copy later, Weiss dropped them off for you, said that she didn't want to see you lose all of the good progress you make. But you will look at it later, tomorrow morning actually. You have plans tonight that you're not getting out of. Now follow me."

Jaune slipped out of bed and followed the man as he made his way out to the hall and down the steps. Jaune had no idea what was going on but he knew that it was cutting into study time. He had to make up for missing classes today somehow. Jaune stopped behind Ren they were at one of the auxiliary building for odds and ends, clubs meet in some of the rooms while others were used as storage by Beacon's staff. Ren lead Jaune a room and knocked a quick tattoo out and the door swung open. As Jaune looked inside his powers burned forth, two Schnee Gameport 5s were plugged in to projectors; soda lined one table as boxes of pizza waited to be devoured. Jaune liked his lips in temptation only to pause and back up a few steps.

"I don't have time for this Ren I appreciate it but…" Jaune was silenced when he felt both of his arms grabbed. Looking around quickly he saw Neptune and Sun had each grabbed an appendage and were dragging him inside.

"Yeah no, Ren gave us a call, you can't work yourself like that dude." Sun grabbed a slice of banana pizza and munched happily on it as the symbols for RVB 3 spun on each of the two screens that the projectors were focused on. "I mean you need to take some time off to just let your brain rest dude."

Jaune opened his mouth only to close it again and nod in agreement to what Weiss had told him yesterday. A break might not be a bad idea… plus he smelled a meat lovers. Ren took a picture as Jaune grabbed a bottle of soda and a piece of picture Sun and Neptune cheering in the background. He sent the picture to one person. Weiss looked at her scroll and smiled at the image Ren had sent with mission accomplished marked so heavily across the top that she almost had to smile at it.

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 **Read. Review. Eat Pancakes.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello my dear readers, I'd like to thank you for your support of this story so far, This is the first chapter that is entierly new to the original piece, it took a little bit to put this our because I had to fight and argue with myself on whether or not to continue on with my idea to continue this as a rewrite or to just keep it a re-edit. I fianlly decided to go ahead and introduce a story linbe and a half that wasn't in the old version of this story. So please let me know what you guys think of the idea.**

 **AN* 16:24 Sep 27 2016: Sorry, didn't realize that I misplaced a paragraph during the first posting of this I will be deleting this notice in about 24 hours.**

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Ciel Hall, the Ancestral home of the Arc family since it's construction over 400 years ago, for over 13 generations the Head of the Arc Family held power in its walls the very grounds vibrated with the strength of the family. The current head of the family, Dore Arc, sat in his study the same study of his forefathers going over the militia count and soldier reports of his fief the same land given to Cyan of Arcadia by Mantel's Rex Sol one of the last Kings of Mantel, it was still the border point of Atlas to this day there were no fiefdoms that passed Arcanum. The land was fertile but dangerous the people who lived and thrived in it were the best that Atlas had to offer. When the Kingdom went through it's revolution the Arc family was one of the few that kept its power and rank, and for no small part because of the fear the new Royal family and parliament had for Obsidienne Arc and the forces of Arcanum. The Arc's had always produced the best of the best… the Lord Arc snapped the pen in his hand his handsome face twisting into a scowl of disgust as he thought of the mar on the family name.

The letter still sat on his desk, the newest reminder that Dore Are still had a male child, after four attempts with his wife for a male heir he was given a failure. How his son became a team leader was beyond the wisdom of Oum, the boy's grades were entirely unsatisfactory which wasn't a surprise, the only exception was apparently the top score in Strategem even then it was only a 87%. His land would go to his eldest daughter, Vermeil was the strong and powerful girl that her brother wasn't, a master of the sword and shield the Crocea Mors that Jaune stole should be his sisters weapons. And they would be it was foolish of Ozpin to send the boys reports here, now Dore knew where his wayward scum was. The man pushed a button on his desk buzzing the house. Time to take the Family treasure back.

"Vermeil, Blanche, Verte, I need you in my study. I have a mission of great import, come at once."

-{[+]}-

Verte and Blanche Arc stopped their spar at the sound of their father's voice. Verte stood tall for a girl of 19 almost reaching her father's six foot 2, like all of the family she wore her white armor over her day clothes a simple green shirt and darker green trousers. She pulled her halberd back collapsing it down into itself and hung it from the notch on her belt. Her blonde hair was cut short almost as short as the soldiers of the land her face was thin and sharp, her movements were light and graceful as she walked away from her sister.

"Come now Blanche it's time for your first mission then." Her green eyes looked up from the training ground to the main tower of Ciel Hall. Jaune used to call it the Spider Tower, that the web their father spun all led back to the one room at the top of the tower. It was the most fortified section of the Hall and easiest to defend. Verte felt her mouth twitch into a frown and her shoulders lower slightly at the odd thought of her long gone brother… she missed him, as did the rest of the sisters… but none missed him as much as their mother.

Blanche looked up where her older sister was, Blanche was 14, only ten when her brother left. She took more after her mother barely breaking five foot the little childlike softness on her face was starting to shift into what would be a beautiful face. She holstered her paired hand axe pistols and nodded her head when her sister started walking. SHe would bring honor to the family, not like her brother. She missed him but the memories were distant now the overlaying of her father's words had started to blur what she remembered. Jaune was a weakness, a flaw in the pristine Arc family. She would do her father proud, she didn't want to end up an exile. She brushed off her white combat skirt her pale blue almost silver eyes hardening as she walked forward her bouncing golden curls getting dusted by the slow snowfall of the mountain.

Vermeil Arc sat in her rooms reading when the call came over the Hall. The book would have irritated her father, it was a treaty written after the Faunus Rights Movement on the systematic oppression of a people. It was quite good, the argument sound and well documented. Slowly the tall red eyed blond pulled her white armor over her precisely tailored red and black shirt and vest. She pulled her boots back over her legs in brown trousers and grabbed Vrai Espoir from against her door. The hand and a half blade in sheath slid smoothly into its belt loop as she moved to open the door. She pulled her cloak from its hook flinging it around her shoulders securing it there with the double arcs that were the house sigil. She hadn't been on a mission from father in almost two years now. She was the Heir after all, at 24 she was the pride of the Arcs, the perfect Heir save for her gender. She despised her father though she hid it well. Her first act as the Lady Arc would be to find and reinstate her brother into the family. Her footsteps echoed as she turned a corner to take the stairs up to the Study.

She climbed slowly thinking what would be important enough for her father to send her along with Verte and Blanche, besides the fact that it was Blanche's first mission. Then again Bleue was at Atlas Academy working as a teacher's aide, Violet was doing maneuvers with her unit, Rose was in her first year at Atlas and Noire was on bed rest after her accident with the Beowolves that attacked one of the fringe farms of the Fief so there might have been need. The girl stopped outside of the door. She hated feeling powerless. That's what the old man did to her, to all of them. She squared her shoulders when she heard two sets of footsteps behind her. She'd wait for Blanche and Verte to join her before going into the room.

-{[+]}-

Jaune sat looking down at the spar going on before him. Yang and Pyrrha was always a fun match to watch, they were so different fighters that were so amazing in their own way. He cheered when Yang slid under a stab on her knees firing a close range shot that caused Pyrrha to flip out of the way her aura glowing slightly as Yang felt the blow redirected and found herself launch backwards. The brawler landed in a handspring that caused everyone in the crowd to roar in appreciation. They were all combatants here, it was different from the festivals and tournaments where the majority of the viewers had never fought before in their lives, here every move was analyzed and broken down by everyone. Discussions would break out after the fight ended, 'what would you have done,' how would you have adjusted for such and such move,' the conversations would breakout almost as soon as the match was called. As Jaune watched the two dance around each other he noticed Pyrrha being careful with her attacks. Good, Jaune had done a full breakdown on each team in Beacon throughout their time here so far, he watched and planned, gathering their weaknesses and strengths together and compiling them into a list.

It started with the big things like Cardin's Strength or other obvious things, but the more Jaune learned about combat the more he gained insight, Yang's stance for example was weakest when she was pulling back from an attack to her right side, she never pulled her body back to center fast enough. That combined with a slight flaw in how Ember cilia discharged casings meant that if timed right someone could get Yang with a knockout shot. Sure enough as The casing flew out and Pyrrha ran low she was able to get behind Yang's peripheral vision the casing giving her the cover she needed. Yang tried to look around to find the spartan only for the red headed warrior to slip back and forth staying in her blind spot. IN a frustrated roar Yang went for a 180 haymaker only to have milo bashed into her knee and slam Akouo into the side of her head. The combination staggered Yang and dropped her into the red ending the match to a huge roaring cheer.

"How'd Pyrrha do that?" Jaune heard Ruby ask someone, probably either one of her or his teammates.

"I don't know, it wasn't the usual way that she fought either though, did you notice that She let a number of openings pass?" Blake and Ruby took the fight apart Jaune listening in on them nodding and shaking his heads when they were on the right track or fell off of it.

"So you were right." Ren spoke up from Jaune's left. The blond nodded his head and stood turning to walk away. Ren followed Nora skipping behind them as they moved to wait for Pyrrha to head back to the room. "Time it right Yang's focus goes to the casing because it's in motion, that gives you an opening to slip behind her field of vision."

"Yup," Jaune popped the p as he stretched his back. He had similar strategies at this point fine tuned for each of his teammates to go against almost everyone in their year. Even each other.

"You could even beat Yang with that plan." Jaune barked a laugh and shook his head at the comment he closed his eyes as he leaned back against a wall. Whoever said that was attempting to be funny, and it was a great way to say a brilliant plan, Jaune almost hoped it would stick.

"Please that would mean I was coordinated enough to move in such a fashion, not to mention you would still need to deliver a strong enough blow to end it, that was why Pyrrha did so few attacks, it was a combination of reserving her strength for the ending blows as well as making sure the hits she made did enough damage to her aura without activating her semblance. Ren would do something similar while Nora could probably end the fight in one blow from the get go." Jaune cracked his neck his eyes closed. "Me though? Nah not even close enough in terms of ability to win that fight. I'll stick to the Grimm thanks they're much easier to dispatch at my level."

"I think you're underestimating yourself there... Mr. Arc." Jaune's eyes shot open as he looked to see Professor Ozpin standing next to him taking a sip from his mug. "The fact that you have such a handle on not only the abilities of other teams as a whole but the individuals on each team and that you have developed strategies for your teammates to take against each opponent. It is no mean feat to develop 128 individual strategies."

"Actually I came up with plans for duos, trios and combinations there of… at last count I had over 750 combinations." Jaune smiled sadly as he thought of how he'd have over a thousand if it wasn't for one thing.

"You don't count yourself?" Ozpin asked sipping his coffee again, by now everyone else had left, Pyrrha Nora and Ren looked at eachother and nodded moving towards the door. Pyrrha placed her hand on Jaune's shoulder in passing she motioned that they were leaving Jaune nodded his head and turned to tell Ozpin he needed to leave only for the man not to be there anymore.

"...That was… interesting?" Pyrrha's statements drew nods from two of her teammates while Nora leaned over Ren's shoulder. She wanted to laugh at how Ozpin just used the very trick Jaune talked about on the three others but that would ruin the fun. "Weiss Ren and I have a study session…"

"Yeah It's time for me to meet with Cardin in the Tac room… I'll see you guys in an hour? We're all meeting in RWBY's room to get ready for a weekend in Vale right? You guys need to go dress shopping?"

Pyrrha nodded as they split paths Nora hanging off of Ren's back.

-{[+]}-

"How the hell did she do that…" Yang lay on her bed her boyfriend giving her a leg massage carefully working her knee through its motions slowly gently pushing bits of his aura into her leg the gentle turquoise pulses mixing and shifting into her body. It was an amazing thing to have someone actually care about her as a person from the opposite sex. Not then Ren and Jaune didn't count… but Ren was definitely Nora's property even if the stoic didn't show it. Jaune on the other hand was… well… Jaune.

"Well she is a tournament fighter who is still undefeated in the ring." Neptune shifted his fingers digging his fingers into her lower thigh the pressure causing a slight moan from the brawler's lips and a smirk on the 'intellectual's face.

"No that can't be it… little lo-oh… right there." Yang smiled in pleasure as Neptune worked his magic. "P-money and I have been sparring since the beginning of last year, she's won all of them… ah… but this last one was on a whole other level, it was like she had a whole new set of movements built just for me."

"Probably because she did." Blake called from her bed below. Sun curled up next to her asleep his tail mindlessly wrapped around one of her legs. Neptune stopped and looked down Yang's head following his lead. Blake was reading flipping casually for a moment before she looked up at the couple. She sighed and carefully shifted as to not disturb her sleeping boyfriend. "You guys like the overwhelming majority of the school forget something important about JNPR."

"That Nora is scary?" Yang's stab in the dark was met with a bored stare of golden eyes.

"That Jaune isn't as useless as everyone thinks?" Neptunes stab was met with a nod.

"He's not actually a bumbling idiot you know, need I remind you what happened when you Sun and Scarlet bet over 300 lien a piece that he couldn't beat the three of you ganged up on him in a game of War of Remnant." Neptune's face fell at the memory. The man that sat across from the three of them at the end of that game wasn't Jaune Arc, he was a blond monster that smirked behind an unending army of plastic figures as he dropped air raids and Grimm incursions on the Super Awesome Federation's three capitals. The smirk as he opened his hand and received almost a thousand lien was almost reminiscent of a beowulf's predatory grin. The fact that the girls of Rwby shared a story of a similar fate only made the shame hurt the trio even more. "Besides remember Ren's first fight against that girl from Atlas, Ciel… Soleil? And then two weeks later he fought again with a completely different style and power the fight went from a near stalemate in the first fight to Ren utterly controlling the match. Or Nora against almost anyone? The change from what you guys saw last year to this entire semester?"

There was a solid point, all of the members of JNPR save their leader started racking up more and more wins over the past year, in the unofficial betting pools that definitely didn't exist among upper year students it was said the only way to make money on a second year match involving JNPR members was to bet against the leader and with the members. That was of course until you hit the monthly team skirmishes, in which case the smart student with extra cash put a bet or two down on RWBY and JNPR in the mid rounds when the stakes rose to a fair pot. If the matches made it so that RWBY and JNPR met before the finals it didn't matter the rest of the roster that was always the most watched match of the tourney. RWBY up two wins over JNPR six to four at the last count. From there a smart hunter bet it all on whoever was left standing.

"But why is he still bottom ranked of the second years if he's such an amazing tactician?" Sun propped himself up on his elbow as he joined the conversation.

"Simple and Salutations!" the four turned to the door in shock as Penny skipped into their room Ruby close behind her. "The common ranking system in Beacon is based solely off of the inter trainee combat rounds not an accumulated score including confirmed grimm kills, stratagem as well as points awarded through commendations and awards. If you were to use Atlas's method of Ranking in Beacon Jaune would jump almost thirty positions in rank from 32nd of 32 positions to 5th position and out of the 128 students in attendance he is number 14, with current projections rates in place and no further changes to his growth rate it's estimated that Jaune Arc will become top rank of the his class replacing his own Teammate Pyrrha Nikos in the Number 1 spot the 23rd spar of next year. This will move his overall ranking to top student. Projections will only him moving to middle ranks maxing out at 19th rank for your year and only 72nd place overall for the schooling if staying with the spar only principle."

Penny smiled at her friends as they stared at her. Jaune? Top 5 best students in their year? That sounded insane.

"Penny how many confirmed Grimm kills does Jaune have on record at this point?" Ruby asked her robopal there was no way that was right. Jaune would have had to of done it over the break, when everyone was home. He only would have killed a few of them during the school year.

"By the official register Jaune T. Arc, home kingdom of Atlas, has a confirmed kill of over 523 grimm. The vast majority of these kills, over 500 of them accrued between the dates of-"

" May 14 and August 18th…" Ruby interrupted her silver eyes downcast at the thought,500 grimm in-

"Sorry Ruby, you were right on the 14th of May was the starting date, but Jaune Arc's last registered kill of that burst was on the 23rd of July. 70 Days instead of the 96 you were guessing. Averaging a minimum kill of one and a maximum kill of one hundred within a twenty four hour period. The remaining 49 days averaged 7.75510204082 kills. The records show he was on a contracted D level security detail through that time burst in kills combined with the notations of the Resident Hunters and Law officers added a hefty chunk to his accumulated ranking, the boost of wins by his team save him has also been partially credited to him due to leadership and stratagem. The one area that Jaune lacks in are the solo sparring matches." Penny looked at her friends. "That does not seem fair to me that the entire rank be based on one category, not everyone is a front line fighter, it is even more impressive when one takes into account a still not activated semblance and a weak control of aura equal to that of a first year student of one of the feeder academies, if not slightly less so." Weiss returned from a study session with Pyrrha and Ren while Penny while Penny was listing the average daily kills.

"How many days was that mission for again Penny?" Pyrrha's voice barely contained her mix of fear, worry, anger and shock.

"Jaune T. Arc's D-rank mission to assist Jasper Glenn's Security forces lasted for a total of 96 days from the 14th of May to August 18th this year. The largest incursion was on the 27th of June, A mass of mixed grimm including Beowolves, Ursas both minor and major, Creeps, as well no less than 10 Death Stalkers, Jaune Arc is credited with over a third of the kills in the invasion as well as rescuing two different units of Vale soldiers that were garrisoned in the community." Penny smiled as she delivered the news to her friends, even if Ruby knew of her non-organic origins the others didn't. It was so nice to be of use to those she cared about.

"Penny… how do you know this information." Weiss asked slowly, while the facts she listed would be on an open server that the kingdoms would share the fact that Penny knew it and was able to recall it was astounding.

"Hey Guys, what's going on?" Everyone turned to look at the door Jaune stood there a look of confusion on his face as the groups faces betrayed a range of emotion. "Uhm… Guys?"

-{[+]}-

Roman walked into one of the few places in the city of Vale that he would never rob. Blackwatch Tailor's and Haberdashery was one of the few places that sold high end dust infused suits and accessories. It was also ran by one of the few people in the city that was an untraceable ally of his. Josepie Blackwatch was a retired thief, the original man that taught a little redhead how to fight, case a building, become more than his birth allowed. The shop whispered it's class in dark stained wood walls and a deep burgundy carpet, Fabric peeked out of the cubbies that lined the walls, the back counter was almost more reminiscent of a bar then a tailor's work bench. The man behind had his long silver hair pulled back into a tail his suit was impeccable. A soft bell filled the room as the door opened.

"Hell- Roman, what a surprise usually you call before you show up here." the audible click of a switch being thrown darkened the windows and a thin yellow and blue dust matrix came to life within the walls jamming any kind of outgoing signal. Roman walked up and leaned on the counter "You're exhausted, despite the makeup I can still see the wrinkles around your eyes and you're sloppy in your step."

"I know old man, I-" Roman felt the smack before he could even dodge it.

"And why the hell are you all over the-"

"DAMN IT JOSEPIE I NEED YOUR HELP." Roman slammed his fist into the top of the counter, the sound causing the old man to stop his assault. The old man's jaw dropped at the words, even as a scuffed up waif the kid was so self-reliant it was frustrating. For him to be asking begging for help then it must have been serious.

"Roman…" The old man drew a pair of glasses from under the counter and a bottle of Atlassian Brandy. "Tell me… what's wrong."

-{[+]}-

A plane pulled into a private airport, the white paint jobs only markings were a pair of golden arcs painted on each side of the fin. As it taxied the three passengers readied themselves for what was to come. For the first time in four years Jaune Arc would come face to face with his family, and if their father's orders were to be obeyed… the Seven sisters would be the only children of the Arc Line.

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 **READ. REVIEW. EAT PANCAKES.**


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